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It is difficult to understand the ecological impact of fire without sound knowledge of the range of fire behaviour that can occur in a given ecosystem. The rate of energy release, flame characteristics, residence time and rate of spread of a fire can vary greatly depending upon the ignition pattern, weather, vegetation and topography in which a fire occurs. The mode of combustion of the fire–that is, whether it is heading, backing or flanking–also influences the behaviour and subsequent impact of the fire.

This chapter discusses factors that influence the behaviour of fires in three key vegetation types: those dominated by grassy fuel such as open grasslands, woodlands and open forests with a grassy understorey; dry sclerophyll eucalypt forests dominated by a leaf litter surface layer with or without a dominant shrub understorey; and mallee-heath shrublands. Although the morphology of these ecosystems is very different, the effects of topography and weather on fire behaviour are similar for all vegetation fires.